C-Suite Support Is Your Best Bet in Dealing with Diversity Fatigue
Deanna Singh
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Expert Speaker & Consultant, Chief Change Agent of Four Purpose Driven Enterprises, Author of Actions Speak Louder ??
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In a handful of our recent Uplifting Conversations LinkedIn Newsletters, we've discussed the role diversity fatigue plays in the experience of DEI leaders striving to create an inclusive and equitable workplace.?
Diversity fatigue is a real problem impacting DEI initiatives in companies around the country. In 2020, many organizations created DEI roles to lean into diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. LinkedIn data shows the number of “Head of Diversity” positions shot up more than 100% from 2015 to 2020. Yet progress has stalled since then: Reports show that DEI is no longer in HR’s top five priorities this year, and employees and hiring teams are?growing less likely?to participate in DEI initiatives year over year.
Ouch.
Previous articles discussed two specific pain points that contribute to this exhaustion. The high rate of attrition in DEI departments is one reason for the increase in exhaustion, as is the fact DEI leaders are struggling to meet high performance expectations without a lot of support around them.
Today we’re taking a closer look at a third pain point: Lack of C-suite support for DEI programs and initiatives.?
C-Suite Support Can Sink or Save DEI Initiatives
For some business leaders, it’s simply enough to know that hiring a diverse talent pool directly benefits business results. For them, the bottom line is enough to motivate them to create a high-functioning DEI program and support initiatives around this concept.?
When a company has C-suite support on board that goes beyond hiring diverse talent, such as sourcing from diverse suppliers and supporting organizations focused on economic development, job creation,?and racial equity, their teams perform well and make an impact on the business.
McKinsey & Company studied this phenomenon in Diversity Matters , a report looking at the link between a diverse workforce and profitability. It found that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.?
According to a report by?compliance training provider Traliant, about half (48%) rely on their HR team to “own” the organization’s DEI strategy, while only 44% say their executive team takes ownership of the DEI strategy. What’s more, 71% of companies polled said their executives are involved in decisions about endorsing and advancing DEI. However, the report found that only 13% of that group claimed their executives are proactive and visible in those activities in advancing DEI.?
The report stated, “While it’s true that much of the effort involved in DEI initiatives is centered on HR-related functions like recruiting and training, DEI must be a holistic effort that encompasses the entire organization if it is to be effective. It requires the visible and active support of leadership, clear metrics, and a dedicated budget and resources.”
Encouragingly, it also reported that respondents are dedicated to developing more DEI leaders within their organizations. For example, one senior director of diversity at a healthcare organization said that creating new DEI leaders is their organization’s biggest DEI challenge. To deal with this, many of the companies polled said they are prepared to look for external assistance in cultivating this DEI talent.?
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The Bottom Line
The Traliant report concluded that companies should, “Ensure executive leadership is proactive and visible in their endorsements of advancing DEI. This sets the tone for the entire organization and encourages other leaders to be more proactive.”
I agree. I believe HR and DEI leaders need to encourage C-suite leaders to reinvigorate the energy from 2020 to push through diversity fatigue and set their businesses on a course to success.?
This also looks like the CEO bringing their DEI leaders into the conversation, making sure they highlight how the DEI initiatives are tied to the larger company goals, and celebrating the achievements of the team. These may seem like small things but coming from the top gives them more weight.
In my experience, companies with C-suite support that are committed to DEI thrive and prosper.?
Next Time: Now What?
DEI isn’t a quick fix. Committing your organization to DEI initiatives requires continuous commitment, resources, and evaluation, which can be exhausting over the long haul. But there are ways to ease the discomfort.?
Next time we’ll offer strategies to ensure your company can beat diversity fatigue – and keep moving forward toward a more equitable and inclusive workplace.?
Here are some steps to improve DEI practices – and help combat diversity fatigue – in your organization:
Being an?#ALLY ?is ongoing work. Any uplifting impact we make now, no matter how big or small, will build a better world for future leaders and generations to come. Let’s keep working together to effect change.?Subscribe to continue these Uplifting Conversations!